Next month, United Fresh Senior Vice President of Food Safety and Technology Dr. David Gombas will join representatives from the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association, the Southeast Produce Council and the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Food Science and Technology in presenting GAPs and GMPs for HACCP-Based Food Safety for the Fresh Produce Industry.
The course, which is now accredited by the International HACCP Alliance, is presented at UGA's Extension Food Science training facility in Athens and will teach participants how to develop and document good agricultural practices (GAPs), standard operating Procedures (SOPs), sanitary standard operating procedures (SSOPs) and good management practices (GMPs) for farm and field operations, packing facilities, cold storage operations and produce shippers. Additionally, specific breakout sessions will use HACCP principles to teach participants to identify and prevent food safety hazards, set preventive/control measures and control limits, develop control and monitoring procedures, document and verify the results of their efforts, each as established by the International HACCP Alliance. Participants will also learn how to use microbial testing as a verification tool for audit compliance. The goal of the interactive sessions is to assist participants in developing a food safety plan that they can implement in their specific operations.
The course will run from February 15 through 17 and United Fresh, GFVGA and SEPC members will receive discounted registration. For more information, visit www.efsonline.uga.edu, or contact UGA's Extension Food Science department at efs@uga.edu or 706-542-2574.
Source: United Fresh Produce Association
